Chapter 389. The War in the South (2)

In the southern part of Anhui, there was a town called Anqing.

Although it wasn't very large, it was located right in front of the Yangtze River, making it well known as a fishing and port area. However, Anqing had recently become a base for the seven thousand-strong Dark Heavens Army from Hefei.

The Dark Heavens Army headed south and built a base in Anqing to prepare for the upcoming battle. There was no problem with drinking water because the river was right in front, and they had more than enough food considering the rations they had stored for the seven thousand warriors and the fact that they could secure it by catching fish in the Yangtze River.

After securing military supplies and reorganizing their troops in Anqing, the army crossed the Yangtze River and moved south, stopped its advance, and turned east.

"Hmph!"

𝒻𝓇𝑒𝘦𝘸𝑒𝒷𝓃ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝘮

Blessed Existence Star, Liu Shao laughed.

"To think they would make camp at Mount Jiuhua, how ridiculous. What, are they thinking of relying on Buddha when they're full of Evil Faction members?"

Mount Jiuhua was a famous mountain southwest of Anhui and east of Anqing.

It was known as one of the four great mountains of Buddhism. There were seventy-four temples and six thousand four hundred Buddha statues on the mountain. It was also known as a famous mountain for tea, so the tea fields that stretched like steps from the entrance to the summit were truly amazing.

"Still, it's perfect for gathering troops. I don't know who their strategist is, but they've got some brains, it seems."

Liu Shao licked his lips and let out an unpleasant laugh.

Mount Jiuhua was one of the mountains managed by the imperial government. The hundreds of temples and statues were considered national treasures. Since it had been considered a sacred place for Buddhism since ancient times, it was a place that even the Dark Heavens Association could not easily touch.

"Lord Liu Shao, what should we do?" a subordinate asked casually.

"Advance east, but stop near the hill halfway to Mount Jiuhua and keep watch."

"Um, what if... they're entrenched within Mount Jiuhua?"

"That won't happen. Don't worry."

Liu Shao smirked and clicked his tongue.

"Mount Jiuhua is a place that not only the provincial government, but even the Ming Dynasty pays attention to. Martial artists wouldn’t dare gather openly there. Usually, you wouldn’t even find a few dozen of them nearby, let alone a whole army. The temples of Mount Jiuhua are all places that have nothing to do with the

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"

"But, haven't the Alliance forces of the South gathered there anyway?"

"One of the Emei Sect's high-ranking nuns must have visited and asked the temples for a favor. If they added the name of the Shaolin Temple on top of things, the temples most likely would have turned a blind eye to it. However, they would never allow those of the

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, especially those involved in a war, to make camp on the actual mountain. Most likely, they won't be on the hillside of Mount Jiuhua, but would rather be loitering at the bottom of the mountain. They won't be here for long."

As expected of the Present Darkness.

[1]

The Present Darkness, Liu Shao!

With beautiful eyebrows and distinct facial features, he was objectively handsome. However, the dark spots under his eyes were so thick that they ruined his good looks.

He was from Melody Gate, but he was more famous for his brains than his musical skill.

The Melody Gate Master had been Pure Faith, but Liu Shao, a disciple of the Melody Gate, didn't actually belong to the Pure Faith Star. Although they may have had the same origin, he belonged to the Blessed Existence Star.

This was because he had caught the eye of Blessed Existence early on due to his exceptional intelligence. Thanks to that, he was able to avoid the wrath that fell upon the Melody Gate.

Even within the Dark Heavens Association, his abilities were widely acknowledged. He had been entrusted with part of the command over the army of seven thousand.

If he had been a member of the Righteous Faction instead of the Evil Faction, he would have easily been included in the Five Dragons and Three Phoenixes.

He was that talented.

"Divide the army into three as you advance."

"Understood."

Anhui, Mount Jiuhua.

"Lady Tactician Phoenix, any further would be crossing a line."

A high-ranking nun of the Emei Sect came down the mountain.

She was middle-aged, nearing old age, and her presence was more imposing than most men.

Her eyes, filled with courage, were so intense that one would never forget them once one saw them, and her hands, entangled with prayer beads, were covered in calluses.

"I just came back from listening to the monk's sutra reading, but the atmosphere is not very pleasant."

"This is enough. Thank you, Senior Vajra."

"Jingchu, will do."

"Then, I will call you Jingchu Shitai."

"I don't deserve such praise... but if that's more comfortable for you, please refer to me as so."

Shitai was a title given to a virtuous and experienced female monk. It was a title given to one whom no one would disagree deserved it.

The reason no one would contest bestowing Jingchu the respect of Shitai was because she was one of the few female masters in the

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.

For the Emei Sect, where the number of masters was decreasing with each passing day, she was a representative figure that they could proudly introduce.

On a side note, she was the private secretary of Jingren Shitai, an elder of the Martial Alliance.

"Then, may I ask you to begin the advance?” Zhuge Xiuluan looked around and asked.

The hero of the Evil Path, the Domination God Monarch, answered the monk's question by slightly nodding.

Then he turned his gaze to the side and winked at his subordinate and sworn brother.

"We will do as you command!"

Jin Ba, the sworn brother of the Domination God Monarch, leaped forward.

"Listen! My name is Jin Ba, first sworn brother of the Domination God Monarch, and the second of the old brothers!"

Jin Ba spoke at length in a voice that was somewhat dignified, but the Alliance Army of the South ignored him as if he were a barking dog. Their silence clearly told him to get to the point.

"That is why Eldest Hyungnim wants everyone to advance in an orderly manner toward the western hills, toward the Dark Heavens Army! That is all!"

Waaaaaaah!

A cheer erupted from the Alliance Army of the South.

Jin Ba had a proud expression, but the one the Alliance Army was most excited about was the Domination God Monarch standing behind him.

Once again, it became evident how popular and respected the Domination God Monarch truly was. Since he had rarely shown himself properly, the Empyrean Overlord had a mysterious charm that made many people even more excited.

"Let's go!" Jin Ba shouted excitedly. The cheers of the Alliance Army of the South that echoed back filled him with joy.

But not everyone was pleased.

"Why does the Domination God Monarch let that bastard stand before him?"

It was the master of the Miao Family Sword Gate, Miao Zhidan.[2]

How could he cast me aside and ignore me...

Miao Zhidan had a small connection with the Domination God Monarch.

Their paths had crossed in the past, during the war against the Flashing Waterfall Saber Gate.

At that time, the Domination God Monarch had been a commander and a wanderer.

Although they had never met directly or personally, Miao Zhidan had greeted him happily in order to somehow establish a connection.

However, the Domination God Monarch only nodded slightly in response to Miao Zhidan's greeting, and didn't say anything. Even though the man was one of the Six Empyrean Overlords and a hero of the Evil Path, that indifference had stung.

Now, watching Jin Ba stand beside him while he remained ignored, Miao Zhidan couldn’t help feeling bitter.

Still, he said nothing because just being near the Domination God Monarch made his body tense with unease.

Not a single one of them is decent.

Miao Zhidan clicked his tongue.

More than anything, how can a great army of ten thousand be moved by a few words from a mere woman?

The Miao Family Sword Gate had been on the rise since the Four Gates Rebellion.

It was only natural since the Eight Gates of the Evil Dao had been split in half.

With that rise, their pride, which they didn't have much at first, also grew.

While Evil Faction members may not have as much pride as Righteous Faction members, that didn't mean they didn't have any. And right now, Miao Zhidan was full of it.

After all, it was the Miao Family Sword Gate that started the conflict with the Flashing Waterfall Saber Gate simply because they thought that swords were better.

Just wait and see. I’ll be the one to claim the merit on the Southern Front.

Miao Zhidan swallowed his discontent and made his vow.

***

Anhui, Southern base of Jiuhua.

Ten thousand martial artists gathered to face the Dark Heavens Army's seven thousand.

The Alliance Army of the South divided ten thousand of them into four groups.

Three thousand were assigned to three divisions, the Vanguard, the Left Guard, and the Right Guard, while a thousand were placed in the center.

It was the ninth month, but the heat had not yet gone away. There wasn't a single cloud, so the sun was hot above their heads.

The silver lining was that the wind blowing through their hair kept them from feeling the heat.

Sweat beaded and dripped from their foreheads. The hands gripping their weapons were soaked. It was hard to tell whether the dampness came from the weather or the tension of facing a deadly enemy.

"A head-on battle?"

The Right Guard Commander, Jinchu Shitai, frowned.

The sight in front of them was nothing but hills.

The hills were all covered with tea leaves instead of trees, so there was nothing to block their view. It was a place where both friendly and enemy forces could clearly see their movements.

"It feels quite suspicious."

Whether it was Blessed Existence, or the Present Darkness, they were famous strategists throughout the

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.

It was hard to believe that the Dark Heavens Association, which actively utilized such strategists, would fight cleanly head-on.

Right as she was thinking of listening to Zhuge Xiuluan because she wanted to know what the enemy's intentions were, a shout was heard from the other side, the Dark Heavens Southern Front.

"What, did you think we wouldn't fight fair and square?!"

Focusing on her eyes using a vision technique, she peered into the distance and saw the speaker's face.

"Guan Huqing!"

"Traitor!"

"Instigator!"

He was once a Peak Realm expert belonging to the Martial Alliance.

However, he was a key figure who had killed an expert of the Beggar Gang, Wu Guisheng, and led the small and medium-sized Righteous Faction's sects to betrayal.

Let alone the Harmony Realm, his skills didn't even allow him to crawl into the bottom ranks of the One Hundred Experts Under Heaven. However, his true strength lay in his words, not his martial arts.

"Instigator?"

Guan Huqing laughed incredulously.

And his face immediately twisted with anger.

"Shut your dirty mouths."

Guan Huqing's voice was seething with hatred.

"Martial artists, listen up!"

Guan Huqing's voice resonated loudly.

The eyes of both armies were focused on Guan Huqing.

"The

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is now—!"

But, at that moment.

"We face our greatest enemy!"

Zhuge Xiuluan's sharp voice echoed throughout the battlefield.

"W-what..."

Guan Huqing was about to continue his speech when he was startled.

Before Guan Huqing could continue, Zhuge Xiuluan raised her voice so that everyone could hear clearly.

"The

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has been fighting for countless years. We have been clashing with each other's paths and beliefs for ideological gain."

Guan Huqing's ability was to lead by speech.

Whether he was sincere or not remained unknown.

However, he pointed out the wrongdoings of society, formed a consensus, and led their hearts. It was a terrifying power.

Even the Blessed Existence Star, Vast Gate Star, and the Avaricious Wolf Star would come forward to maximize Guan Huqing's words and create more traitors.

Zhuge Xiuluan also knew about that power.

That is why she had prepared. She waited to take away Guan Huqing's 'influence' that had been leading the traitors.

She leveraged the heated emotions before the clash, the discontent that had continued for decades, and the thoughts and words that came up from the

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situation.

"However! This historic confrontation of beliefs was used by an external enemy called the Dark Heavens Association. They sullied and toyed with beliefs with the pretense of revolution. The Seven Swords War, the Great War of Good and Blood, the Great War of Good and Demonic, and even the Four Gates Rebellion and the Three Mountain Sword Sects Alliance Betrayal all played into the hands of the Dark Heavens Association."

Zhuge Xiuluan's loud and beautiful voice was pleasant to hear. Every movement she made captured attention.

"Righteous Faction, Evil Faction, all of you martial artists!"

Her voice was clear and she didn't stutter even once.

She continued her speech at such a length that it was hard to believe that she was usually reserved.

"To be honest, we aren't on good terms. We don't even intend to understand each other. The history we have built up is not so light that the appearance of a common enemy would make us forget our long-standing grudges. But we still joined hands. Why is that?"

Zhuge Xiuluan finished speaking and took a deep breath.

The Alliance Army of the South had more Evil Faction members than Righteous Faction members.

Since it was the Evil Valley territory, their way of thinking matched.

Even if she said things from a certain perspective, they wouldn't believe her. There would also be problems with the command system.

"Because it pisses us off!"

She only thought about efficient words.

"They're trying to get in the middle and take advantage of us!"

She deliberately spoke from the Evil Path’s perspective.

"These unrelated guys are getting involved!"

Zhuge Xiuluan raised her hand high above her head.

"It's disgusting!"

Even though she was one of the Five Dragons and Three Phoenixes, she was still a woman in her twenties.

While the Righteous Faction may have been able to overcome that, the Evil Faction wouldn't even begin to listen to her properly in the first place.

Even with the symbol of the Domination God Monarch, there would be division.

"All troops."

So she said what she had to in order to gain the command and the control necessary for a sure victory.

"Forward—!"

"Woooooooooo!"

Ten thousand against seven thousand.

The Alliance Army of the South against the Dark Heavens Army.

It all started now, with the shout of the Tactician Phoenix.

1. His name literally means shadow under the eyes, but Muxia as a combined word means the present time. ☜

2. This seems to be an author error, but the master of the Miao Family Sword Gate was said to be Miao Zhenge in chapter 94. ☜